Neutral bar connector



Sept. 1961 E. s. CORNELL, JR 3,001,172

NEUTRAL BAR CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 1, 1960 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent 3,001,172 NEUTRAL BAR CONNECTOR Edward S. Cornell, Jr., Westport, Conn., assignor to Penn- Union Electric Corporation, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 5,713 7 Claims. (Cl. 339-242) The present invention relates to novel connector means, and more particularly, to a novel electrical connector structure.

While various uses may suggest themselves for the device of the present invention, it is especially suitable for serving as a neutral bar to which a plurality of wires may be readily connected. It is an important object of the present invention to provide a novel neutral bar connector structure and the like which is relatively economical and which may be easily manufactured.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel neutral bar connector structure which is relatively light in weight and yet is strong and rigid.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel neutral bar connector structure adapted to accommodate wires of different sizes and further adapted to obtain an improved positive electrical and mechanical connection with the wires.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention Will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a body member of a neutral bar connector structure incorporating features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a neutral bar connector structure incorporating features of the present invention assembled with the plurality of wires; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along line 44 in FIG. 2.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, a neutral bar connector structure incorporating features of the present invention comprises a body member 12 and a plurality of screws 14. The connector is adapted to be assembled with a plurality of electric wires such as the wires 16, 18 and 20, which wires may be of different diameters as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The body member 12 is formed from any suitable electricity connecting material such as aluminum or copper. The body member is shaped so that it is relatively light in weight and yet strong and rigid and also so that it may be easily and economically formed by an extrusion process, if desired. More specifically, the body member comprises an elongated longitudinally extending web portion 22, which is relatively thin as compared with its height as shown best in FIGS. 1 and 4. An upper flange portion 24 extends along and is integrally joined with an upper margin of the web portion 22. Preferably, the flange portion 24 is symmetrically disposed with respect to the web portion and extends substantially equally laterally outwardly from opposite side surfaces of the web portion. Another flange portion 26, similar to the flange portion 24, is integrally joined to and extends along the lower margin of the web portion 22, and also projects laterally outwardly of opposite side surfaces of the web portion.

As shown best in FIGS. 1 and 2, transverse openings 28 are formed through and spaced along the web portion 22, into which openings wires to be secured to the connector may be inserted. Each of the openings is at least partially defined by a wire accommodating seat or surface 30 which faces generally toward the flange portion 24 or upper 3,001,172 Patented Sept. 19, 1961 margin of the web. These seats 30 are preferably curved or, if desired, formed with a V-shaped cross section so that they are adapted to accommodate wires of different diameters. Furthermore, the seats extend in an uninterrupted fashion entirely across the web portion 22 so that the seats provide well supported and rigid or substantially unyielding surfaces against which the wires may be positively and securely clamped under considerable pressure for assuring a proper mechanical and electrical connection.

In order to secure the wires against the seat 30, the screws 14 are turned into internally threaded apertures 32 which extend through the flange portion 24 and respectively intercept the openings 28. It will be noted that the apertures 32 are arranged so that the screws are disposed substantially perpendicular to and directly oppositely from lower ends of the seats 39. Thus, when the screws are tightened, the wires will be securely clamped directly between ends of the screws and seats 30 as shown best in FIG. 4, whereby the full clamping pressure provided by the screw is utilized for mechanically and electrically securing the wires. The upper surface of the flange 26 is immediately adjacent to the lower ends of seats 30, so that the flange 26 serves to guide or support the wire and resist bending or stressing of the portions of the wires clamped directly between the screws and the seats.

As shown in FIG. 4, the flange portion 24 is sufliciently thick to accommodate a plurality of helical thread convolutions so as to enable the screw to be tightened securely without stripping the threads. In addition, it will be noted that even though the web portion 22 has a thickness less than the diameter of the screws whereby the weight of the body member is minimized, partial thread segments 34 are formed in the web portion at the upper ends of the openings 28 for inter-engagement with the threads of the screws and thereby further minimizing any danger of the threads being stripped when the screws are tightened.

While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described herein, it is my belief that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the pending claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A neutral bar connector structure comprising an elongated solid body member of electricity connecting material and including an upstanding longitudinally extending web portion and a flange portion integrally joined to an upper margin of said web portion and extending laterally therefrom, said web portion having a plurality of transverse openings therethrough partially defined by upwardly facing wire accommodating seats extending substantially continuously across said web portion, a plurality of internally threaded aperture means extending through said flange portion and into said web portion and respectively intersecting said openings directly opposite from said seats, and screw elements threaded into said aperture means for positively securing wires directly against said seats when the wires are inserted into said openings and said screw elements are tightened.

2. A neutral bar connector structure comprising an elongated solid body member including an upstanding intermediate longitudinally extending web portion and upper and lower flange portions integrally joined to upper and lower margins of said web portion and extending laterally of said web portion, said web portion having a plurality of transverse openings therethrough partially defined by upwardly facing wire accommodating seats extending substantially continuously across said web portion, a plurality of internally threaded aperture means extending through said upper flange portion and respectively intersecting said opening directly opposite from said seats and screw elements threaded into said aperture means for positively securing wires directly against said seats when the wires are inserted into said openings and said screw elements are tightened.

3. A neutral bar, as defined in claim 2, wherein said flange portions extend outwardly of opposite side surfaces of said web portion.

4. A neutral bar, as defined in claim 2, wherein inwardly facing surface means of said lower flange portion extends laterally from areas immediately adjacent said seats for supporting wires laterally outwardly from said seats and resisting bending of portions of the Wires clamped directly between the screws and the seats.

5. A neutral bar connector structure comprising an elongated body member including a relatively thin longitudinally extending web portion having a predetermined thickness and a flange portion integrally joined to one margin of said web portion and extending laterally of said web portion, said web portion having a plurality of transverse openings therethrough partially defined by wire accommodating seats facing toward said flange portion and extending substantially continuously across said Web portion, a plurality of internally threaded aperture means extending through said flange portion and into said web portion and respectively intersecting said openings directly opposite from said seats, and screw elements having a diameter greater than said predetermined thickness threaded into said aperture means for positively securing \w'res directly against said seats when the wires are inserted into said openings and said screw elements are tightened.

6. A neutral bar connector, as defined in claim 5, wherein said internally threaded aperture means each has a plurality of helical thread convolutions within said flange portion.

7. A neutral bar connector, as defined in claim 6, wherein said web portion includes internal helicalthread segments between said flange portion and said seats'for cooperative engagement with said screw elements when the screw elements are tightened.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,453,001 Camp Apr. 24, 1923 2,267,771 Von Holtz Dec. 30, 1941 2,643,363 Robertson et a1 June 23, 1953 

